Gervinho Looks to be Arsenal’s First Major Signing of the Summer

Arsenal is a topic that’s currently on everyone’s lips in the transfer window for mostly negative reasons. Facing the departures of midfielders Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri, left back Gael Clichy and striker Nicklas Bendtner, Arsenal is going to need to fill many holes this summer. The Gunners look to be on the verge of their first major signing with Lille forward Gervinho.

The Ivorian footballer has become a quality goalscorer on both the domestic and international stages. The deal, which is reportedly around 12 million euros, would give Arsenal a potential hitman up front. Arsenal has struggled to find quality players in front of the net. Besides Robin van Persie, Arsenal is filled with young strikers who have failed to make a lasting impact. Theo Walcott has been utilized more often as a winger than a forward. Carlos Vela and Marouane Chamakh haven’t adapted in England well and Bendtner looks to be on his way out of the club.

In Gervinho, Arsenal will have a strong, physical footballer who has shown pace, versatility, and proficiency in front of the net. He is an excellent dribbler who can take on defenders with the ball at his feet and make punishing runs behind defenses. His high assist totals also show he can link up well with teammates in terms of building chances. He is also a proven winger from the right and could fit in well with the speedy Theo Walcott who improved last season.

The 24 year old is determined to leave now for Arsenal after winning the double with Lille. He feels he has proven himself in the French league and now he wants to take it to the next level in the EPL. “I’m happy to have won all these trophies,” he told France Football. “I’m glad to have taken a route through the French league but now I will go to London. At Arsenal, it is a young squad and I can fit in nicely. I can develop myself over there.” He added,”I’m going there to play, not to be on the bench. Arsenal love the game. And I love teams that love the game. The Premier League is a notch above. It’s maybe the best league in the world. I want to live that sensation.”

Signing Gervinho is important for Arsene Wenger as the team has entered a period of crisis. Six years of failing to win anything has caught up with them. Players like Nasri have grown tired of falling short for the club and in order to keep them, they need to make new signings to boost morale. Even stalwarts like Andrei Arshavin and Robin van Persie have grown dissatisfied and could be a part of a devastating mass exodus. Besides Gervinho, Arsenal have also been linked with several other signings including defenders Christopher Samba and Gary Cahill and midfielders Juan Mata and Ricky Alvarez. With a physically imposing defense, consistently adept midfielders and composed forwards, Arsenal can change their losing ways.

Gervinho looks ready to make the transition to the Premier League just at the time that he is entering the prime of his career. Arsenal have had their eye on him since he was playing for K.S.K. Beveren in the Belgian League in the 2006/2007 season. For Arsene Wenger, getting Gervinho could be the start of rampant transfer activity that could get the Gunners back on track.

About Michael Schwartz

Michael wrote for World Soccer Talk in 2011 and 2012 with pieces that tackled a variety of topics related to the English Premier League and International competitions. He’s now back to continue writing about the Beautiful Game. You can follow Michael on Twitter @MichaelSchwart2
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24 Responses to Gervinho Looks to be Arsenal’s First Major Signing of the Summer

If only all of the targets you mention actually arrive before the end of July will we be any kind of force for next season. Hopefully 2 or 3 of them will be announced within the next week and will be enough to convince Nasri to stay, sadly I think that Cesc will go but I think that it will also help keep Nasri as he will then be able to play in his preferred position, we will then have approaching 100 mil for transfers so Arsene will have no excuses. Scott Parker should also be on our wanted list to back up Song. I have been a diehard gooner for many years but never have I felt so frustrated as I do now. As a recent blog pointed out Manure and others shop at Harrods whilst Arsene shops at Walmart and then still haggles over the price.

Gervinho is a very mobile footballer and can suit a high tempo game. May be a good signing.
I have supported Arsenal for 56 years since my dad sat me on his lap at the 5-4 defeat to Man Utd in the 50′s. I would like to say that Arsene Wenger has become disrespectful to all of us loyal fans. Ferguson, cleverly, bought Ashley Young early on in the break to give a boost to the fans. Wengers “late” buying policy curbs both enthusiasm and joy. There’s nothing to get excited about. He’s become souless. No wonder players want to leave and top players will not join. Arsene Wenger has to realise, with great honesty, that in reality, he is the problem at the moment. Give us joy Arsene!

Singning gervinho with other players mentioned, is a welcome development to me and the entire arsenal fans all over the globe. I pray wenger will get us all these players mentioned, in other to atleast win trophies this 2011 – 2012 season.

signing gervihno is sign of improvement for arsenal, but how long will it take arsenal a player not even players, we have heard this speculation for a long period of time and yet the deal has no be concluded. Pls prof sign players for us the fans to get the club going.

I feel like this will be a good signing for the Gooners. All last season they pretty much came to pieces in front of the net, and hopefully Gervinho will add some goals that the likes of Bendtner, Chamakh, and Vela were unable to deliver.

However, a much more pressing issue is the apparent imminent departure of Nasri and Fabregas. Losing those two players would be a huge blow to the team, and it would be horrendous to try to craft what basically would have to be a whole new team in the midfield. And that’s not even taking into account Arsenal’s biggest problem in the last campaign. The defense…

I always thought Gervinho was the best Ivorian Coast player in the world cup.. He dazzled every time he was on the pitch which is what it puzzled me that he didn’t start every game.
I hope he does something about that hairstyle though. It is just dreadful.

Without addressing the defensive frailties no number of other signings no matter how good they are is going to make Arsenal a contender next season. Losing one of Nasri or Fabregas will also be a step back but losing both will signal a true decline of Arsenal. Spurs or Liverpool will take Arsenal’s spot in the top 4. Tough times ahead for the Arsenal.

arsene wenger thinks he is so wise in his own eyes,such an ignorant man he is,who does he think he is fooling, winners like fergy are not even resting on last season’s achievement,may be i shouldn’t even blame this frenchman much,but the arsenal fans who are present at the stadium and haven’t deemed it fit to stone this man called wenger, so stubborn…i remain a gooner with or without this manager………

It has been story,story & prof wenger.we need complete deals not lectures,we are not your student.i think wenger is joking wit his last opportunity at arsenal,if no medal next season,then u are gone wenger.the new chelsea coach is even becoming active than wenger,why all this wenger.

Crisis where????
Who were we kidding, Fabregas was always going to leave even if we won something, that would have just been an excuse for him to say ”I have helped and achieved a lot at Arsenal and want to move on to Barcelona” I don’t blame him because that is his home.
But Nasri on the other hand is more attached to Wenger than any other team, Fabregas leaving could be what keeps Nasri here because he would finally get his favoured position.

looks like another chamakh to me.. what arsenal need is a big target man. oh wait they already have a big target man in bendtner that they never play. if they started bendtner 20 Prem games next season, he’d score at least 15 goals. but wenger wants to keep buying the same type of players. Gervinho is basically Van persie only faster. whocares thou as long as My United keep winning the league.

Arsenal could be in real crisis. Clichy has just finished his medical at Manchester City so he’s gone. Fabregas and Nasri look to follow soon. Now it’s reported that Chelsea will make a bid for Theo Walcott. There are also rumours that Robin van Persie might put in a transfer request. Things are not looking good at Arsenal.

In addition to Gervinho Arsenal has reportedly bought Kevin Doyle for 12 million pounds. Very interesting week ahead for Arsenal.

wenger is an experienced coach, so i think firing him is not the best option to chose now, give him a chance of a season to see if he is capable of coaching the young guns, but he should sign players to arsenal whom will replace clichy, arshavin, fabregas, bendtner and the rest of them. we would like to see the likes of cahill, mata, mertesacker, benzema and so on who are very sharp both at air and on the ground. DIE HARD ARSENAL FAN.

Samir Nasri is an important player at Arsenal, so i will not wish to see him leave to my rival team, he only want trophies to lift and thought man u could give him that, but if he insists, wenger should let him go, Thiery Henry was sold to barcelona when he is playing excellently, so i am confident that with his departure, Arsenal will raise another good player.
Thanks Gervinho was landed, we are looking forward to more signings which will put back smile to arsenal fans.
DIE HARD ARSENAL FAN